New Stealth Fusion

So I took the Stealth Fusion out to HMB on Sat 9/4.  Some observations -

If you have a fishfinder, it is trivial to set up with transponder, battery pack and screen all mounted without having to drill a hole in your kayak.  I used velcro for the screen, a dry bag for the batteries and a few scraps of wood with stainless bolts and lock nuts to hold in the transponder in the provided scupper.  People make this much harder and expensive than necessary. 

The live well works. 

It is a wet ride.  If you are moving, the Venturi effect keeps it all dry, but if you are just sitting there enjoying your coffee... well, you are sitting below water level. 

No coffee cup holder. 

Your reels will get wet due to where the holders are relative to your paddle motion. 

You can't eat and troll.  Your fishing style will be more jigging and drop shotting when bottom fishing.  I'll do salmon trolling to see how it is when the bite picks up. 

I added a screenshot of my paddles on Sat.  7.7 miles.  Nice upper body workout.  1.5 mph into the wind and tide.  I'm in reasonable shape (run 10k's etc...) and it wasn't hard, but I did make a note of the BS claims on YouTube about 3 mph into the wind without trying. 

Less gizmosity.  (yes, I declare that is a real word).  No seat, no pedal mechanism, all the junk just fits in the hatch.  You end up feeling like you are forgetting something. 

Would I buy again?  Yes.

Thanks for the review. Trolling from a paddle kayak is definitely more challenging. As you observed you can’t eat or drink while doing it, and more care is required to avoid tangles while lowering your gear. I also miss being able to hold the rod in my hands and keep the bait just off the bottom while trolling for halibut.

One thing I’ve noticed on the stealth is that my back handles things fine if I am paddling, but when mooching it is hard to avoid hunching or slumping and my back does not like that.

"One thing I’ve noticed on the stealth is that my back handles things fine if I am paddling, but when mooching it is hard to avoid hunching or slumping and my back does not like that."

Add 60 bucks for the back rub.  Yes, a bit sore but not horrid. 

I added a screenshot of my paddles on Sat.  7.7 miles.  Nice upper body workout.  1.5 mph into the wind and tide.  I'm in reasonable shape (run 10k's etc...) and it wasn't hard, but I did make a note of the BS claims on YouTube about 3 mph into the wind without trying. 

It's always nice to see someone put claims of people moving at ludicrous speed on a kayak to the test...

But to be frank I think my review sounded critical - i love this kayak. ,if I had to have 1 kayak,  it would be the Flint only because I can duck hunt with it.  Purely based on camo and I can load 30 decoys on the deck.  Make a Stealth in camo and I'm done.  I can tow them.  But I have 3 kayaks so add the Revo to the party.  And i am sure I'll have some Revo days.